Members of various departments, including 10 from the Boston Fire Department, recently completed training at TEEX to earn their Urban Search and Rescue Specialist Certifications,. To date, more than 150 responders have earned the honor.
The program is designed for members of a search and rescue task force that wish to obtain the highest level of training and expertise in structural collapse rescue operations. Training is verifiable and transferable from employer to employer.
In order to gain the certification, each student must complete the following:
- Structural Collapse Technician 2 – 80-hrs (or 80 hour equivalent)
- NFPA 1006 Rope Rescue – 50-hrs (Level I & Level II or Technician)
- Advanced Structural Collapse 3 – 50-hrs (Must be taken at TEEX)
- Advanced Structural Collapse 4 – 50-hrs (Must be taken at TEEX)
- Advanced Structural Collapse 5 – 50-hrs (Must be taken at TEEX)
- One elective – must be at least 24-hrs from the list below
- Passenger Rail Rescue – 40-hrs (Must be taken at TEEX)
- Rescue in a Contaminated Environment – 24-hrs (Must be taken at TEEX)
- Multi-National US&R Exercise at Disaster City® – 60-hrs (Must be taken at TEEX)
- Planning Team Training – Instructor-Led Training – 32-hrs
- Search and Rescue Safety Officer – 32-hrs
- Logistics Specialist – Instructor-Led Training – 32-hrs
- Medical Team Specialist – Instructor-Led Training – 46-hrs
- Disaster Medical Technician – 40-hrs (Must be taken at TEEX)
- NFPA 1006 Swiftwater Rescue – 32-hrs (Levels I & II or Technician)
- Technical Search Specialist – Instructor-Led Training – 28-hrs
- Canine Search Specialist – Instructor-Led Training – 24-hrs
- Wide Area Search – 24-hrs (Must be taken at TEEX)
For more information, visit teex.org/rescue.